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How to Prepare for Urology Surgery

How to Prepare for Urology Surgery

📖 7 min read Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Alhad Naragude, MBBS, MS, DrNB Urology Last updated: July 11, 2026

If you are preparing for urology surgery, the safest approach is to know exactly what operation is planned, which medicines need adjustment, when to stop eating and drinking, and what tubes or devices you may wake up with. Do not copy another patient’s instructions: preparation differs for a cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, TURP, PCNL, urethroplasty, prostatectomy or kidney surgery. Bring an updated medicine list and all relevant reports, follow the fasting instructions given by your hospital, and clarify blood thinners and diabetes medicines in advance. Good preparation reduces avoidable cancellations and helps recovery begin smoothly.

Start with the exact name of your operation

Ask your surgeon to write down the procedure name and the reason it is being done. Urology procedures may be endoscopic (through the urinary passage), percutaneous (through a small puncture), laparoscopic/robotic, or open surgery. The preparation, expected bleeding, catheter use and hospital stay can be very different.

Before admission, you should know:

  • Which side or organ is being treated.
  • Whether the operation is diagnostic, definitive treatment or one stage of a planned sequence.
  • Whether a catheter, DJ stent, drain or nephrostomy may be needed.
  • Whether tissue will be sent for histopathology.
  • Whether you are expected to go home the same day or stay in hospital.

Complete the preoperative assessment

Your surgical team may request blood tests, urine tests, ECG, imaging or other investigations depending on your age, health and operation. Not every patient needs every test. Preoperative assessment is also the time to identify anaemia, infection, uncontrolled blood pressure, heart or lung symptoms, kidney dysfunction and other conditions that may change the plan.

If a urine culture has been requested, complete it early enough for the result to be reviewed. Surgery involving the urinary tract may sometimes need to be postponed if there is an untreated significant infection.

Review every medicine and supplement

Bring a list or photographs of everything you take, including prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal products and gym supplements. Do not stop important medicines simply because someone told you they are “blood thinning” or “strong.”

Particular attention is needed for:

  • Aspirin, clopidogrel and other antiplatelet medicines.
  • Warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran and other anticoagulants.
  • Insulin and diabetes tablets/injections.
  • SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 medicines.
  • Steroids.
  • Blood-pressure and heart medicines.

The correct plan balances bleeding risk against the danger of stopping treatment. Your surgeon, anaesthetist and prescribing doctor may need to coordinate this.

Follow the fasting instructions exactly

Modern fasting instructions are more specific than “nothing after midnight.” NICE guidance allows clear fluids up to 2 hours before many operations, but your hospital may give a different schedule depending on the procedure and anaesthetic. Clear fluid does not mean milk, a milk-based tea/coffee, juice with pulp or a heavy drink.

Follow the written instructions you were given. If you accidentally eat or drink outside the permitted window, tell the team rather than hiding it; aspiration of stomach contents during anaesthesia can be dangerous.

Prepare your body, not just your paperwork

In the days before elective surgery:

  • Keep reasonably active unless advised otherwise.
  • Eat normally and maintain good hydration unless you have a medical fluid restriction.
  • Avoid binge alcohol use.
  • Stop smoking if possible; even short-term cessation can help respiratory and wound outcomes.
  • Shower or bathe with soap the day before or the day of surgery unless you are given a specific antiseptic-wash protocol.
  • Do not shave the operative area with a razor unless your surgical team tells you to do so.

Plan for the first 24-48 hours after discharge

If you are having general anaesthesia, sedation or a procedure that limits mobility, arrange a responsible adult to accompany you home and help if needed. You may not be allowed to drive yourself. Prepare simple meals, loose clothing, drinking water and prescribed medicines at home.

If you are going home with a catheter or drain, make sure you have been shown how to manage the bag, how to keep tubing from pulling, and who to call if it stops draining.

What to bring to the hospital

  • Government/hospital identification and admission papers.
  • Current medicine list and allergy information.
  • Recent blood, urine, imaging and cardiology reports if requested.
  • Previous operative/discharge summaries relevant to the problem.
  • CPAP device if you use one and the hospital asks you to bring it.
  • Comfortable loose clothing and footwear.
  • Spectacles/hearing aids and their cases.
  • A list of questions you still want answered.

Avoid carrying valuables unless necessary.

Tell the team if anything changes before surgery

Contact the hospital if you develop fever, significant cough, vomiting/diarrhoea, a new urinary infection, worsening chest pain or breathlessness, a new skin infection near the operative area, or if another doctor starts a new medicine. A minor issue may not cancel surgery, but the anaesthesia and surgical teams need to know.

On the morning of surgery

Take only the medicines you were specifically told to take, with the permitted amount of water. Remove jewellery as instructed. Bring your consent questions rather than assuming they can no longer be discussed. The final safety checks should confirm your identity, procedure, allergies, relevant imaging and operative site.

A simple timeline: what to do when

When What deserves your attention
Several days before Confirm the exact operation, complete requested tests, and make a written medicine plan. If you use blood thinners or diabetes medicines, do not rely on memory or another patient’s instructions.
Day before Recheck fasting instructions, transport, admission time, and what to bring. Follow any bowel, skin or antibiotic instructions only if they were specifically prescribed for your procedure.
Morning of surgery Take only the medicines you were told to take, use only the permitted amount of water, and tell the team about any fever, infection symptoms, unexpected food/drink intake or medication error.
Before leaving home Carry the reports that actually affect the operation: imaging, urine culture, creatinine, cardiac/anaesthesia records when relevant, and a current medicine list.

Consultation checklist before urology surgery

Before leaving the preoperative consultation, try to have clear answers to:

  • What exactly is the operation and what are the alternatives?
  • What are the important benefits and risks in my case?
  • Which medicines should I stop, continue and restart?
  • What are my fasting instructions?
  • Will I have a catheter, stent, drain or nephrostomy?
  • How long might I stay in hospital?
  • When can I walk, bathe, travel, work and have sex again?
  • Which symptoms after discharge require an urgent call?

FAQs

Should I shave before urology surgery?

Usually not with a razor. If hair removal is needed, it is generally done with clippers close to the time of surgery because razor shaving can create small skin injuries and increase infection risk.

Can I take my regular medicines on the morning of surgery?

Some should be continued and others should be withheld. The answer depends on the medicine, anaesthetic and surgery. Use the written preoperative medication plan rather than guessing.

What if I have a urine infection before surgery?

Tell your urologist. Depending on the procedure, symptoms and culture result, treatment or postponement may be needed.

What if I accidentally eat or drink before surgery?

Tell the anaesthesia team. Do not conceal it. They will decide whether the operation can proceed safely.

Related reading

References

Note: This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your doctor for any symptoms.